Box band stretching and sealing tool



April 1'2, 193s. B. N. BLETSO Er Al. 2,113,757

BOX BAND STRETCHING AND SEALI'NG TOOL Eea/CE N. BLE-reo and MARK HT/eF/TTON.

April 12, 1938. B. N. BLETso E- AL 2,113,757

BOX BAND STRETCHING AND SEALING' TOOL! Filed Jan. 21; 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bez/CE N. BLE-f5@ and April 12,1938.

B. N. BL

ETSO El' AL BOX BAND STRETCHING ANDv SEALING TOOL Filed Jan. 21, 1935 s sheets-sheet s' hwewlos BEL/CE BLETSO and MQEK H. 5T, TTO/v.

mended Apr. 12, 193s Um'rizl) STATES PA'rlazNTA ori-#ICE Bruce N. Bletso, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and

Mark Il. Stratton, Ridgewood, N. J., assignors v to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 21, 1935, Serial No. 2,832

. 4 claims.

This invention relates to fastening tools in general, and is particularly concerned with fastening tools for the ends fof package strapping,v

A specinc example of a tool embodying the` features of the invention and adapted to handle strip or `band strapping, is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, In which: u Figurelisasideview.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section from the line III-III in Figure 2. l

`lliizure 4 is a longitudinal section from the line IV-IVin Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section from the line V-V in Figure l.

Figure 6 shows details on the side opposite to that shown. by Figure l.

Figure 7. is a cross-section from the line VII-VII in Figure 4.

Figure 8- shows a fastening element adapted for use with the tool.

Figure 9 is a cross-section of the fastening resulting from the use of this 'element Referring to these drawings:

The tool includes a base 2 to which a side frame) is pivoted. A pinch block 4 is screwed in this base 2 and is held in any desired adjustment by means of a spring 5 which is insertable in any one of several radial slots 6 cut in the bottom face of this block 4. The surface of this block is checkered so as to grip the lower of two overlapping ends of a box strapping and hold it securely. Two pinch wheels 1 are disposed adjacent the pinch block 4, the faces of these wheels having teeth which engage the upper of the overlapping ends of the box strapping, the revolving of these wheels causing the end of the strapping to be pulled through the tool and thus tension the band.

Placed between the wheels 1 and fastened thereto by pins I is a ratchet wheel 9. 0n each side of the wheel 1 is a link III winch rotates about a pin Il on a sleevev I2. This sleeve also supports the wheels 1 and 9. A link I3 is connected to the links Il by means of a pin I4 on -which is alsofastened apawl I5. The link I3 is connected to a lever I6 by a pin I1. The lever ,55 II is pivoied to the base 2 by a pin I8. To insure the pawl Ii engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel 9, a spring Il is arranged to bear against the back of the pawl It this spring being supported by a pin 2l. A stationary pawl 2l is supported by a pin 22 and is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel l by a spring 23. Downward movement of the lever Ii causes the pawi l5 and the pinch wheels 1 to rotate about the pin I I, thereby tensioning the box strapping. The pinch wheels 1 must be so supported that 1.0 they can be lowered to engage the box strapping while tensioning the same, and also so they can be raised 4for removing the tool from the band after fastening iscompleted. To accomplish this, 4that portion of the pin il on which the 1 pinch wheels 1 rotate is set olf-center, so that dies 2i are held in place by means of screws 22. 25

A block 2l is also held rigidly in place in the side frame 3 by screws 30. This block 23 determines the position of the box strapping and the sleeve 33. A plurality of slots are cut in the longitudinal edges of the block 29 to allow pro- 30 jections 3| of the dies 28 to enter slots 32 of the sleeve 33, thus allowing the shearing surfaces 2-1 of the dies 26 to engage the edges 34 of the box strapping 35 and shear this box strapping v along the edges 36 of the slots 32. A plurality 35 of recesses 31 are cut on the face 33 of the jaw 24 to receive the part of the box strapping 35 which has been bent down to a point below the surface 38.

The upper ends of the jaws 24 are connected 40 to links 39 and by pins 4I.l These links are fastened together at their other ends by a pin 42 which is also fastened to a crosshead 43. This crosshead is fastened to a link 44 by a pin 4I. 'I'he upper end of the link 44 is fastened to an 45 operating lever 46 by a pin 41. This operating lever 46 is supported in the side frame 3 by a pin 48. The upper portion of the side frame 3 is formed into a U-shaped'handle Il in which the lever 46 is held when in its upper position by .50 a spring 5l), the latter engaging a depressed portion 5I of the lever 46. This lever is shown in downl position at the completion of a fastening operation. Thejaws-24 are moved to an open position by moving the lever 4l upward. l Q5 'I'he tool is provided with a locking mechanism, by the operation of which the operating lever 46 must be brought to a' determinable operating po'sition before it can be returned to its upper position. This insures a uniform depth of shear along the edges 36 of the band 35, thus making al1 fastenings of uniform security, the tool being obviously capable of interfastening the ends of the strapping with varying degrees of security dependent on the extent of its operation, due to the fact that the further the lever 46 is thrown the greater will be the depth of shear and the more secure will be the fastening effect. The locking mechanism includesa lever 52 which is pivoted to the side frame 3 by a pin 53. A

locking pin 54 is fastened to the lever 52 by a pin 55. The opposite end of the pin 54 is slidv ably held in a hole in the side frame 3. A latch 56 is pivotally supported at the upper end of the lever 52 by a pin 51. This latch 56 is held yieldingly against a surface 58 by a spring 59. An adjustable stop pin 66 is provided to control the lower limit of travel of the lever 46. 'Ihis pin 60 has a hole longitudinally through its center in which a slidable pin 6l rides. When the lever 46 approaches its extreme lower position a face 6 2 of the lever engages an end ofthe pin 6| and causes the opposite vendA of this pin to engage adjustable screwl 63, thereby causing the lever 52 to rotate about the pin 53. This causes the latch.

56 to latch on the surface 58. With the latch 56 in this position the cross-head 43 can move up past the end of the locking pin 54. When the lever 46 approaches its extreme upper position, the surface 65 of this lever engages the latch 56 which 'is thus released from engagement with the surface 64, a spring 66 causing the locking pin 54 to -rest against the cross-head 43. A cover may be provided for the locking mechanism.

'I'he side frame 3 is connected to a link 61 by Y a pin l68. 'I'he opposite end of the link 61 is connected to a gear segment lever 69 by a pin 16. This gear segment lever 69 meshes with a gear segment 1i which, in turn, is fastened to the eccentric pin Il. Thus when the side frame 3 is rotated on the pin il this pin is caused to rotate, which, because the eccentric portion of the pin supports the pinch wheels 1, causes these rolls to be raised or lowered.

.The operation of the tool is as follows:

A piece of box strapping 35 is placed around a package with its ends overlapping. With the lever 46 in the top position, and the side frame 3 tipped back, the tool is placed over the box strapping, so that the overlapping ends of the strapping lie between the block 4 and the pinch wheels 1. A. sleeve 33 of the type shown in Figure 8 is placed in the opening 12 of the base 2 and over the overlapping ends of the box strapping. The side frame 3 is moved to a vertical position, which causes the jaws 24 to be lowered to a position where their ends are adjacent the sides of the sleeve 33, thus holding the box strapping with the sleeve 33 straddling it in a central position between th'e jaws. By moving the side frame 3 to avertical position, the pinch wheels 1 are caused to be lowered, thus causing these wheels and the pinch block 4 to tightly grip the strapping.

The next operation is the tensioning of the band. This is accomplished by an up-and-down movement of the lever I6,which causes the wheels 1 to rotate and pull the top end of the strapping past the lower end which is held in place by the block 4. The stationary pawl 2| holds the wheels 1 against rotation 4when the lever I6 is released.

Next the fastening is made by moving the lever 46 in a. downward direction. As this lever 46 is being moved downwardly the cross-head 43 comes to a position where its top edge is below the pin 54. When this happens this pin. 54 snaps behind the cross-head 43, thus preventing the lever 46 from being raised until the'pin 54 is removed. Since the lever and cross-headmust be raised to separate the jaws 24, these elements being interconnected, the tool is locked .to the work by the pin 54. Furthermore, this prevents movement of the side frame 3 to release the pinch wheels 1, so that the straps are locked in tension. By a further downward movement of the lever 46 the shearing surfaces 21 of the dies 26 are caused to engage the sides of the box strapping 34 and shear the same along the edges 36 and complete the fastening.

At the extreme lower position of the lever 46, the surface 62 of this lever engages the pin 6i vwhich, in turn, engages the adjustable pin 63.

A movement of this pin 6i in the direction of the lever 52 causes this lever to be rotated until the latch 56 latches on the surface 53. This causes the end of the pin 54 to be withdrawn from above the crosshead 43, and allows the lever 46 to be moved to its top position, thereby moving the jaws 24 to an openposition. The side frame 3 is now rotated to a back position, which releases the pinch wheels 1 from engagement with the strapping and allows the tool to be removed.

Although a specific example of a tool is here disclosed in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the same without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A device for interfastening overlapped ends of package strapping, including the combination of a sealing head, sealing dies in said head for applying deforming stress to portions of said strapping, means for operating said dies, clamping means remote from said dies for gripping said strapping during the operation of the latter, means for operating said clamping means, means connecting said head to said clamping means whereby movement of the sealing head to sealing position causes gripping of the strapping by the clamping means, and means responsive to the movement of the sealing dies by their operating means to prevent release of the sealing dies and of the clamping means from the strapping until the strapping has been deformed.

2. Adevice for interfastening overlapped ends of package strapping, including the combination of at least one sealing die for applying deforming stress to portions of said strapping, sealing jaws forv holding said strapping during operation of said die, means for operating said die and sealing jaws simultaneously, said means including an element that reciprocates with the operation of said die and Jaws, a pin arranged for reciprocation into the return path of said element, means for urging said pin toward said path, a latch for holding said pin out of said path, and means responsive to operation of the first named means for forcing said pin out of said path to render said latch eiective.

amavo? jaws, a pin arranged for reciprocation into the return path of said element, means urging said pin toward said path, a latch for holding said pin out of said path, means responsive to the operation of said common means for forcing said pin out of said path to render said latch effective, said pin being arranged to rest against said element when the latter is positioned to dispose said die and jaws in disengagement from said strapping, and means, operable in response to the operation of said common means, to release said latchf 4. A device for interfastening overlapped ends of package strapping, including the combination of at least one sealing die for applying deforming stress to portions of said strapping, sealing jaws for holding said strapping during operation of said die, a lever providing abutments on either side of its fulcrum, a means including a reciprocatory element connected to said lever so that when the latter is'swung, it actuates said die and jaws, a pin arranged'ior reciprocation into the return path of said element, a spring urging said pin toward said path, a rocking-arm fulcrumed at a positionfbetween said abutments to rock'in the plane in which said lever swings, said pin being pivoted to one end of said arm, a latch pivoted to the other end of said arm and arranged for engagement and disengagement by the one of said abutments on the side of said levers fulcrum toward which said lever swings when said die and jaws are released, said pin being arranged to rest against said element when the latter is in a position where said die and jaws are withdrawn and released from said strapping, and a rod arranged tor engagement by the other of said abutments so as to be pushed when said lever is' swung in that direction to cause said die to apply said stress and said jaws to clamp, said rodengaging said arm between its fulcrum and the end to which said pin is pivoted. v

BRUCE N. BLEISO. MARK H. BTRATION. 

